Karl “McCoy” Urban is in so much trouble! During a promotional press junket for the upcoming Dredd film, Urban was asked about how it was like to worth with Benedict Cumberbatch on the Star Trek 2 set.
And he apparently spilled the beans on the villain that Cumberbatch is playing.
Are you ready to know? We’ve whited out the pertinent name for spoilers sake. Here’s what Urban said:
“He’s awesome, he’s a great addition, and I think his Gary Mitchell is going to be exemplary.”
The character that Urban named can be found very clearly on the list of five characters that screenwriter Roberto Orci said would explicitly not be in the sequel. (Highlight to see who those five characters are: Janice Rand, anything Borg-related, Charlie X, Gary Mitchell, Ruk.)
Then again, this character has already appeared in the IDW spin-off comics, which were outlined by Orci and Kurzman and which supposedly take place between the two movies. (You can find our recaps of the comics here.)
We have to say that the character that Urban named, if true, makes far more sense as a villain than Khan does, especially in regards to giving Kirk and Spock conflicts specific to their characters. We really hope Urban spilled the beans on this one, because it’s got us even more excited for Star Trek 2.
What do you think?
[News via SFX]
Stubby the Rocket is the mascot of Tor.com and wants to come into conflict with the Enterprise but it’s just too gosh darned cute.
A far better choice than trying to re-do Khan, yes, but it’s hard to reconcile this with Bob Orci’s statements to the contrary (he also made a blanket statement that none of the antagonists featured in the IDW comic series would be in the movie.)
I thought it might be something like that, statements aside– I assumed Orci was “pulling of Moffat” or as we in the industry say, baldfaced lying for the best of reasons.
Seriously, in this spoiler-heavy world where leaks & stuff are the norm, straight up deception is the only way to go.
TBH, I think Urban is just winding up the fans – I’d expect the villain in the new movie to be a new character, just like Nero was.
hmm, I am guessing he is just bluffing. Mitchell feels a little too specific for a mass market movie to me. I dont think the general public will know who he is. the first reboot movie everyone could relate to the villian being some romulan. If it is true, it would be interesting to see how they transform Mitchell from Kirk’s friend into a villian.
Why would the general public need to know who he is? Relate to being Romulan? What does that even mean? Oh, and Urban has to be a geek, or at least lean geek, look at all the roles he goes after. I bet he’s just blowing some smoke.
The first movie was a hit that generated tons of goodwill for Star Trek with even non Trek peeps. You could throw anybody in there as the villain. Name recognition doesn’t matter. The only TOS villain the “general public” knows is Khan, anyhow. And that’s stretching it. Other than the generic Klingons, or whatever.
Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaank you. Much better choice.
Even if it is misdirection, it at least makes sense as far as it goes, given the Starfleet uniform and all. (I know- I think they put Khan into a uniform in Space Seed, too. Just sayin’.)
BTW- this is why I prefer Tor.com to sites like Blastr. Over there, it’s all trolls moaning about how this isn’t Trek, and they’re not interested. Here? We’re actually discussing the news.
Stay classy, Tor.
An experienced actor sitting in a prepared interview has a major “slip”? I’m not buying it.
@Paul Lewandowski, all Blastr does is regurgitate everyone else’s news, anyway. Between the lack of real info and the horrible editing, captcha, and moderation, I find that I rarely go there anymore, unless I want info that is specific to their channel.
Anyway, I think Karl is having a laugh with us :)
@decarillion, You’re probably right. I think a great way to troll the Spoilersphere would be to have several actors ‘slip’ the name of a possible adversary, but each one name a different classic Trek enemy. Do it all in the same week or so, and watch teh intarwebs ‘splode.
Thanks, Snowkestrel.
11. Snowkestrel
I heard from a very reliable source* that the villain is the Squire of Gothos!
(* lies)
My sources say that the villain will be Balok with Clint Howard reprising his role from TOS. Cumberbatch is just going to be the voiceover.
If that’s true, how come my inside source says they’re working on final adjustments to his Yeoman Rand costume?
No, no, no!
They’re actually doing a film version of IDW’s Dr. Who/Next Generation crossover.
Shifted, of course, to fit into the reboot’s chronology.
Tentatively titled “Five Things that Never Happened to Stephen Moffat.”
Two words.
Borg. Horta.
I know we had the time-travel, alternate universe in the first film (mainly to create new canon) but I wish they’d revisit the original script for TMP and have the crew of the Enterprise be the unwitting villains.
There are probably ways of doing this without time-travel. It’d just be very cool:JJ, use some of that LOST magic on Trek!
I was hoping for the Squire of Gothos or Finnegan: the guy who gave Kirk such grief in Starfleet Academy (re ‘Shore Leave’).
@@@@@mordicai, I had to look at your comment twice because I first read it as “Squirrel of Gothos.”
To be honest, I thought the first movie was terrible – and having seen much of Orci & Kurtzmann’s other work, I am positive they are mostly to blame for the script.
The actors where ASTONISHING, of course, and the only reason I would ever re-watch it is purely to see the performances that the new cast turned in. Karl Urban was a particular stand-out.
But Orci & Kurtzmann, who gave us the awful Nemesis-esque script (and villain), the stereotyped (and completely artless) portrayal of Uhura, the complete lack of any Star Trek sort of philosophical or ethical (or even vaguely hopeful-for-the-future) sensibility, the bleak, bizarre portrayal of 23rd-century Earth (with Nokia phones in the ostensibly communistic Federation, and a starship being built on the ground?) – I just do not think they’re capable of writing a decent Star Trek 2.
Honestly, you could throw as many Cumberbatch’s as you want at me (please do), there is very little chance I will be going back to their movie a second time.